From Pc Tamba Sungu Briwa, Aiah Abu Koroma and Now Chief Ahaji Abubakarr Sidiq Sam Sumana

By Saa Matthias D BENDU

Paramount Chief Tamba Sungu Briwa  -KPM

Political parties in Sierra Leone gained prominence during colonial era, with the establishment of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) in the 1950. This period marked a shift toward local representation ultimately to independence from British rule in 1961. It’s an open secret that all the elite in the provinces were supporters of the formation of SLPP. In Kono district, a druggist, Tamba Sungu Mbriwa, fell out with the new party because he was constantly advocating and asking critical question about the benefit Kono was getting from the diamond resources. He was asked out of a meeting after a heated debate. He returned to Kono and together with Pc AA Mani and his brother, George, Chief Sam Sumana of Yurmadu and other Kono people formed another political Party known as the Kono Progressive Moment. (KPM), with the traditional pot as its symbol (Doa’o), and in a critical local election, KPM defeated the SLPP in Kono district, with Tamba Sungu Mbriwa becoming the President (as they were called then, now Chairperson).

Fast forward, it was the KPM that merged with Siaka P Stevens’ All People’s Congress (APC) with the promise of selecting the Vice President from Kono district, though he said it would be PC Tamba Songu Mbriwa, and was widely believed that he would be the first Vice President from Kono district. These speculation/opinion was and is still strongly believed by most people in Kono district. Unfortunately, Pa Siaka P Stevens did not appoint anybody from Kono district after the death Pc Tamba Sungu Mbriwa. He would be forever remembered for his KPM grand merger with the All People’s Congress party to defeat the SLPP in the 1967 general elections.

Pa Abu Aiah Koroma- DCP

The mantle of Kono leadership was passed onto Aiah Abu Koroma, who served different senior national positions, at one-time Attorney General. Like his predecessor, he was NOT satisfied with what Kono district was getting from the rich diamond deposit. He formed the Democratic Centre Party –DCP, with rainbow as his party colour. His party was allowed to be in parliament because of the strategic position of the district, for its huge economic contribution to the nation’s GDP, from its large diamond deposits.  His DCP party threw its support to the Sierra Leone People’s Party –(SLPP) led by Solomon Berewa in the 2007, instead of his Son-in-Law’s APC party. Among his many reasons for his action, was because the APC party flagbearer then was considered a heartless man…. Most people criticized his signal action, but time proved him right.

Aiah Abu Koroma was still alive (but advanced in aged) when VP Chief Alhaji Abubakarr Sidiq Sam Sumana appeared on the political stage. It was even rumoured around the corridors of power that at some point President Kabba asked him (Abu A Koroma) to select a young person to be handling the affairs of the district, since age was no long on his side. It is an open secret that to relinquish power or authority for most African leaders is like a camel passing through the eye of a needle

Alhaji Abubakarr Sidiq Sam Sumana- APC 

Chief Alhaji Abubakarr Sidiq Sam Sumana- APC: Sam Sumana is an IT expert, a business man and a diamond mogul, with an impeccable governance record till his unconstitutional dismissal as the democratically elected Vice President of Sierra Leone, illegally expelled from the All People’s Congress (APC) party on phony charges.  A charismatic political leader, an embodiment of peace, vividly demonstrated in his character in all what he has gone through: the betrayals, unfounded allegations, his unlawful dismissal, barred from the APC, pervasion of justice by the nation’s highest court, with the regional court –the ECOWAS Court, considering his matter as miscarriage of justice, and withholding of compensation he ought to have received from the government of Sierra Leone. His physiognomy attracts compelling attention, little wonder the hate and envy by some of his colleagues in the same political party in the race to State House.

Chief  Alhaji Abubakarr Sidiq Sam Sumana is one of many children of Chief Pa Sumana of Yurmandu . He came into this world, at a critical moment for the Sumana family; Pa Sumana was a political prisoner, incarcerated for being a die-hard supporter and the highest financer of the All People’s Congress –APC in Kono district and beyond. He was a personal friend of President Siaka P Stevens. Pa Sumana would present raw diamonds of different carat in a Jar as a gift to President Siaka P Stevens on every visit to Kono district.  The lot fell on Chief Alhaji Abubakarr Sidiq Sam Sumana in fulfilment of a long delayed promise made to Kono district for the Vice President position for the merger between the All People’s Congress (APC) and the Kono Progressive Movement (KPM).

Chief Alhaji Abubakarr Sidiq Sam Sumana splendidly served as the democratically elected Vice President of Sierra Leone from 2007-2015 with an impeccable governance record. No commission of inquiry for corruption set up mentioned his name. Even those who bore false witness against him before the APC Kangaroo court, which-led to his unconstitutional removal as Vice President and expulsion from the APC party, have openly confessed that they lied against him. Sierra Leoneans were expecting an apology to the former democratically elected Vice President and his re-instatement into the APC party that he has served faithfully without blemish.

Note: The views expressed in this article is not the official position of The Times SL Newspaper but that of the author who has been a regular contributor to this medium.